Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

Yukon Region and You

For information regarding reproduction rights, please contact Public Works and Government Services Canada at: 613-996-6886 or at: [email protected] Published under the authority of the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians. Ottawa, 2010 www.ainc-inac.gc.ca 1-800-567-9604 TTY only 1-866-553-0554 QS-Y353-000-EE-A1 Catalogue No R114-2/2011E ISBN 978-1-100-17737-3 © Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada Ce document est aussi disponible en français.

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Yukon Region and You Indian and Northern Affairs Canada works to improve the quality of life and well-being of First Nations people and Northerners. INAC supports Aboriginal people (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) and Northerners in their efforts to:  improve social well-being and economic prosperity;  develop healthier, more sustainable communities; and  participate more fully in Canada’s political, social and economic development — to the benefit of all Canadians. We do this by funding and working in partnerships with First Nation governments, Yukon Government, other federal departments and agencies and various organisations. INAC’s wide-ranging responsibilities are shaped by history, legislation, negotiated agreements and legal decisions. The unique context of the Yukon influences the work we do. This booklet gives a broad overview of what INAC Yukon Region does. Please call or visit our website to find more information on our programs.

Contact us  Come visit: Elijah Smith Building: 415C 300 Main Street Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2B5  Give us a call: Phone: 867-667-3888 Toll free: 1-800-661-0451  Check out the website: www.inac.gc.ca/yt  Send us an email: [email protected]



 1

How do we work with our partners to assist First Nations individuals? Help people register for status Our Client Services office registers First Nations people for Indian Status under the Indian Act and distributes their Certificate of Indian Status or Status Card. Registering for Indian Status means that you may be able to access programs and benefits for Registered Indians including assistance for post-secondary education and some non-insured health benefits through Health Canada.

Provide income assistance Our Client Services office provides income assistance for registered status First Nations individuals who are in financial need or have special needs, such as seniors and/or persons with disabilities. Many Yukon First Nations provide income assistance directly to their citizens in their communities. We primarily serve status First Nations people living in Whitehorse whose First Nation does not provide that service.

Help families manage wills and estates INAC helps families manage the legal and financial affairs of deceased, minor, or mentally incompetent status First Nations individuals. The goal is to empower family members to administer the estates of these individuals. We act as an ‘administrator of last resort’ when no one else is available.

2 

Provide post-secondary education funding INAC provides funding for registered status First Nations students who are pursuing post-secondary education. Depending on which First Nation a student is registered with they can access this funding by applying through their First Nation, INAC or the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre. INAC also funds post-secondary institutions for the design and delivery of college or university level courses for First Nations people.



 3

Support children and families INAC has a number of initiatives that support First Nations children and families. We provide funding for status First Nations children who are in foster care or group homes. INAC also administers the National Child Benefit Reinvestment Initiative. This program gives money to other levels of government for programs that improve the well-being of low-income families. Some examples are: child care, hot lunch programs, improving the employability of parents, and parenting skills workshops. Family Violence Prevention Programming provides funding to other governments and organisations for projects that prevent or deal with family violence, such as emergency shelters, workshops, cultural camps and conferences.

Provide jobs for Aboriginal people INAC is committed to hiring Aboriginal people in order to achieve a workforce that is representative of the population that we serve. INAC has a number of programs and policies in place to encourage Aboriginal hiring, from student recruitment to INAC’s 50% Aboriginal Hiring Policy. Keep an eye on the newspaper and on http://jobs-emplois.gc.ca for work opportunities. For more information on working for INAC see www.inac-ainc.gc.ca/emp/

4 

How do we work with First Nation governments? Support capacity development in all First Nation governments INAC’s Professional and Institutional Development program allows First Nation governments to run projects that improve employee capacity and lead to more effective and efficient government. Proposals can be made for training, education and skill building projects that develop capacity in leadership, membership, law-making, community involvement, external relations, planning, INAC Yukon Region serves 17 risk management, financial management, different First Nations. Eleven human resource management, basic Yukon First Nations have land administration, information management claim and self-government and information technology. We also agreements while three Yukon host and partner in a variety of capacityand three Northern British related meetings and conferences such Columbia First Nations are as First Nations managers meetings, governed by the Indian Act. capacity conferences and financial managers meetings.



 5

Maintain inter-governmental relations We foster good working relationships among the Government of Canada, the Government of Yukon, Yukon First Nations governments, the Council of Yukon First Nations, the Self-Government Secretariat and community-level governments and organisations. We also organise formal inter-governmental relations and meetings.

Provide funding and training to ensure safe drinking water and sanitation systems in First Nation communities The First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan assists all First Nation governments through funding and training to provide better water and wastewater services to their communities. Funding helps upgrade and improve the operation and maintenance of water and wastewater facilities and monitor water quality. The program also includes the Circuit Rider Program which provides training to First Nations water operators.

Support comprehensive community planning Comprehensive community planning is a holistic approach to planning that engages the whole community. We provide information sessions about this type of planning and promote its use in First Nation communities.

6 

What is self-government? Eleven of the Yukon’s 14 First Nations are self-governing. This means that the First Nations have their own governments with responsibilities, structures, resources, law-making abilities and taxation powers similar to other municipal, provincial or territorial governments in Canada. These First Nations are guided by their Final Agreements, Self-Government Agreements and Constitutions. The 11 Yukon Self-Governing First Nations and the date their agreements came into effect are:  Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (1995)  Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (1995)  First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun (1995)  Teslin Tlingit Council (1995)  Selkirk First Nation (1997)  Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation (1997)  Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in (1998)  Ta’an Kwach’an Council (2002)  Kluane First Nation (2004)  Kwanlin Dün First Nation (2005)  Carcross/Tagish First Nation (2006)



 7

Help implement self-government agreements Under the self-government agreements, Yukon First Nations can take on responsibility for programs and services like social services, health, housing, and justice. The federal government, Yukon Self-Governing First Nations and the Government of Yukon negotiate how the programs, responsibilities, and resources will be assumed by the First Nation governments. Some of these negotiations include Program and Services Transfer Agreements, Administration of Justice Agreements, Financial Transfer Agreements and other inter-governmental agreements. Each Final and Self-Government Agreement has an Implementation Plan that outlines the activities, time frames and resources needed to give life to these agreements. We work with the other parties to carry out the Implementation Plans.

Contribute funding for self-government Financing self-government is a shared responsibility among the federal, territorial and Yukon Self-Governing First Nations governments. Financial Transfer Agreements enable the Government of Canada to fund selfgovernment. First Nations identify their own priorities and allocate this money to whichever projects they think are most important. This money includes funding for land claims implementation, delivering programs and services, maintaining and improving community infrastructure and housing and running the daily operations of government. Yukon Self-Governing First Nations also receive funding for specific projects or programs that don’t fall under the Self-Government Agreements; this could include water projects and registration of Indian Status.

8 

What are Indian Act First Nations? INAC Yukon Region serves three Yukon and three Northern British Columbia First Nations that are governed by the Indian Act. This means that their resources and government structure follow the requirements of the Indian Act. These First Nations are:  Ross River Dena Council (YT)  Liard First Nation (YT)  White River First Nation (YT)  Taku River Tlingit First Nation (Atlin, BC)  Dease River First Nation (Good Hope Lake, BC)  Daylu Dena Council (Lower Post, BC)

Support Indian Act First Nations delivering and maintaining community infrastructure We provide funding and technical advice to Indian Act First Nations to deliver and maintain community infrastructure. Funding can be used for planning and construction of new infrastructure or renovation and maintenance of existing infrastructure. Projects often include community buildings, roads, bridges, houses, and sewage systems. First Nations set their own priorities for how funds will be spent by developing a five-year capital plan for their community.



 9

Provide funding towards the operation of Indian Act First Nations and Tribal Councils First Nations governments that fall under the Indian Act and Tribal Councils receive funding for their core operations through the Indian Government Support Program. INAC also provides program-specific funding to these First Nations which could include education, water projects and social programs. Tribal Councils receive funding to provide advisory services to their member First Nations.

What is a Tribal Council? A Tribal Council is a formal organisation of First Nations with common interests who join together. The Tribal Council provides advice and/ or services to members.

10 

How do we work with other organisations in the Yukon? Provide funding for Aboriginal Representative Organisations INAC provides funding to the Council of Yukon First Nations for its role as an Aboriginal Representative Organisation. The support for this organisation ensures that Aboriginal perspectives are reflected in government program and policy development. The Council receives funding for its administration and activities related to political advocacy, working with its membership, policy development and project implementation and special initiatives such as the International Polar Year, Climate Change and Circumpolar Relations.

Provide funding to the Yukon Self-Government Secretariat INAC provides funding to the Self-Government Secretariat to provide support, coordination and information sharing that benefits all Yukon Self-Governing First Nations. The Secretariat is a non-political organisation that works to solve common problems and policy issues that arise during the implementation of self-government.

Fund Yukon organisations to provide programs and services INAC provides funding to a number of Yukon organisations who deliver programs and services that fit within the mandate of INAC. For example we fund the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre to administer post-secondary funding and the Salvation Army to provide emergency shelter.



 11

How do we work with our partners to protect the environment? Fund the clean up of abandoned mines INAC funds the clean up of abandoned Type II mines. Canada, Yukon and affected First Nations have agreed to work together to clean up the sites. As of 2011, INAC is funding the clean-up of four Type II mines (Faro, Keno, Mount Nansen and Clinton Creek).

Clean up waste sites Our Waste Site Management Program is responsible for assessing and cleaning up 965 small and medium-size waste sites in the territory. Over 90% of the sites have now been cleaned and the work is expected to be completed by 2013. We are responsible for cleaning up any waste sites that existed before this responsibility was transferred to the Yukon Government in 2003.

12 

What are Type II mines? They are seven large mines identified in the Devolution Transfer Agreement that would potentially have substantial clean-up costs if abandoned. These mines are Faro, Mount Nansen, Clinton Creek, Keno, Minto, Ketza River and Brewery Creek.

What is a waste site? A waste site is land where unwanted material has been discarded. It can include hazardous or non-hazardous material such as: oil, mining waste, structures, vehicles, buildings, equipment, piping, wells, pits, ponds, lagoons, ditches, and landfills.

Monitor contaminants in the environment Through our Northern Contaminants Program we aim to reduce contaminants that make their way into the food chain and into traditional foods. We monitor the presence of contaminants in fish, game, and vegetation and analyse their potential impact on human health. We provide information that helps individuals and communities to make informed decisions about the food they eat.

Coordinate Canada’s responsibilities under the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Act The Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Act is federal legislation that regulates the assessment of projects for environmental and socio-economic concerns. INAC funds and coordinates the implementation of the Act.

Support environmental stewardship We provide advice and funding to First Nation communities to develop sustainable environmental practices. We support and promote Northern science, such as the International Polar Year and on-going work on climate change adaptation and eco-energy.